Prosales articles from October 2003

Prosales archives from October 2003

Like minds.(Editor's Note)
October 1, 2003... Relationships between dealers and builders are often far from ideal. Rapid growth and consolidation challenge some, others are put to the test when confronted with issues related to land availability and building restrictions, and almost all...

Diminishing returns: if a customer is creating costs rather than profits, maybe it's time to say enough is enough.(New Dimensions)
October 1, 2003... Imagine this headline: "Bentstick Lumber bans two contractors who returned too much stuff." Sound ridiculous? Not really. While recently reading a national newspaper I came across an Associated Press article on just this subject. It said,...

Survival of the fittest: when it comes to product life spans, we can all learn something from Darwin.(Firing Line)
October 1, 2003... Just as Charles Darwin applied it in nature, survival of the fittest also determines the long-term endurance of products at most building materials dealers. Consider the evolution of two lines we carry. Three years ago we had the...

Cleaning house: it's time to improve your data hygiene.(Tech Trends)
October 1, 2003... If you ask most dealers how to increase the bottom line, they're likely to tell you either to mop up more revenue or sweep expenses under the rug. But these are not the only ways to clean house! There's also the practice of good data hygiene,...

Knowledge gap: a builder's lack of information on pressure treated wood is a pro supplier's opportunity for service and market development.(Pro Watch)
October 1, 2003... Here are the facts: In response to growing consumer concerns about the use of products containing arsenic, the pressure treated wood industry voluntarily agreed to discontinue the use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) to treat lumber intended...

Reeb Millwork to sell Marvin windows.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Reeb Millwork is the new and exclusive distributor of Marvin and Integrity from Marvin windows and doors in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii. "Reeb Millwork has earned a best-in-class reputation for its ability to provide exceptional...

Stark Truss Co. reaches milestone.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Stark Truss Co., a roof and floor truss and wall panel manufacturer based ill Canton, Ohio, celebrates 40 years of business in 2003. The company was founded by Abner and Esther Yoder on Perry, Road in Canton in 1963 and has grown to more than...

LMC enters deal with Crestline.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Crestline Windows & Doors has entered an agreement with Lumbermens Merchandising Corp. (LMC) to offer Crestline's window and door products to LMC's independent lumber dealers. The deal will allow LMC dealers to expand window and door product...

Wood Truss Council partners with Florida HBA.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Madison, Wis.-based Wood Truss Council of America (WTCA) has partnered with the Florida Home Builders Association and the WTCA's Florida Chapter Executive Committee to offer online training courses that will teach contractors about the...

General Supply Co. celebrates 100 years.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Easton, Pa.-based General Supply Co. marks its 100th anniversary this year. General Supply was founded as the company store for Alpha Portland Cement Co. in 1903 on Lehigh Drive in Easton. Rooted in building materials, the company now includes...

Woodcraft marks 75 years.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... Woodcraft Supply Co., the Parkersburg, W.V.-based supplier of wood-working tools, celebrates 75 years of business in 2003. The company was founded in 1928 as a one-room shop in Boston and now includes 61 franchise and corporate store locations...

Green-building books available online.(Yard Notables)
October 1, 2003... In response to growing interest in environmentally friendly construction, WORLD OF CONCRETE, a sister brand of PROSALES, in association with The Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations, has added a green building and sustainability...

Seven wonders of the construction world: we asked 10 industry leaders to weigh in on the most thought-provoking trends impacting the residential housing market and uncovered seven issues that everyone is talking about.
October 1, 2003... Contemplating their markets and competitive advantages and preparing for the future after a decade of gangbuster growth, builders, dealers, and distributors are constantly reevaluating and reinventing the lumber and building materials supply...

Strong connections: diverging from traditional LBM models and operating more like a collection of specialty building materials companies, Star Lumber is forging new business alliances category by category in the Wichita market.(Profile: Star Lumber)
October 1, 2003... The year was 1939, and even though the country was in the Depression. the home-building business was hopping in Wichita, Kan., thanks in large part to the growth of a fledgling aircraft industry. George Goebel and his oldest son, Earl. could...

'Net gains: e-commerce may not have revolutionized pro sales--yet--but the Internet still plays a critical role in many dealer's business success.(How To Sell Online)
October 1, 2003... In 1999, Seigle's Home & Building Center in Elgin, Ill., launched a Web site because, as vice president of operations Doug Jones recalls, it was "the thing to do." Back then, a dealer couldn't swing a forklift without hitting an article or...

Partners & profits streamlining: builder/dealer operations.(Pro Sales Executive Summit)
October 1, 2003... SUPPLYING THE BUILDER MARKET is more than providing products when they need them at a competitive price. The key today is to partner with your customers, expand your business boundaries, and develop new services that differentiate you from the...

Front porch fever.(Product Info)
October 1, 2003... As the desire for a greater sense of community reemerges in neighborhoods across the country, front porches are making a comeback on both existing homes and in new construction. "The new popular trend of neo-traditional neighborhoods has...

Hold still.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Vaughan & Bushnell's solid Steel and fiberglass Blue Max framing hammers feature the company's Bead-Start magnetic nail-holding notch for starting 16d and 20d nails. The solid steel model features an insert of hickory and laminated rubber in...

High impact.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Makifa's 6917DWDE 12V 3/8-inch drive cordless impact wrench features a compact design at 6 5/8 inches long ant weighs 3.5 pounds. The impact wrench has a rubberized grip and a two-piece mater with a replaceable armature and field and externally...

Next generation.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Benjamin Obdyke enhanced its Roll Vent edge vent and Rapid Ridge nail gun-able ridge vent by incorporating an opening in the fabric along the bottom of each product, creating a see-through, hinge that the maker says ensures proper ridge vent...

Cure all.(Product Info)
October 1, 2003... As regulations against solvent-based products increase, low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) caulks, sealants, and adhesives are more commonplace than ever and new formulations are curing past performance woes. But many contractors still do not...

Out of harm's way: the worst residential construction jobsite accidents are the ones that could have been prevented.(View From The Journal of Light Construction)
October 1, 2003... Dave Handren, co-owner of Handren Bros. Building in Harwich, Mass., learned the hard way why it's important to keep safety glasses on your lace rather than stored in the truck. While standing unprotected on a stepladder and pulling nails out of...